harrington



June 12, 1928. 1,673,506

s. R. HARRINGTON TUBE DEFLATI NG STAND ATTORNEY June 12, 1928, Y 1,613,506

S. R. HARRINGTON TUBE DEFLATING STAND Filed oct. 2s, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented `lune 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,673,506 PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY R. HARRINGTON, OF NEW TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TUBE-DEFLATING STAND.

Application filed Detober 26, 1926.

My invention relates to apparatus designed for the purpose of dellating inner tubes, and it has particular relation to the tube supporting and operating elements of such apparatus.

@ne object of my invention is to provide an apparatus particularly adapted to deflate inner tubes which have been cured in a mold or upon curved or circular mandrels.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which is adapted to deflate inner tubes without subjecting them to undue distortion and without wrinkling them.

In the manufacture of inner tubes for pneumatic automobile tires, it has been customary to inflate them in order that 'they may be tested properly by submerging them in a liquid bath. After the testing operation has been completed, it is necessaryto deflate the tubes before they can properly be folded and packed preparatory to shipment thereof.

Heretofore apparatus havey been constructed which were provided with complementary U-shaped supports formed from sheet metal material and which were adapted to be moved toward and away from each other to stretch and deflate inner tubes mounted thereon. Suitable conduits` communicating with vacuum apparatus were also provided and were adapted to be connected to the valve stem of the inner tube to facilitate the deflation of the tube. It has been found that apparatus of this sort are not well-adapted to be employed for the purpose of deiiating inner tubes which have been cured upon curved or circular mandrels, because of the peculiar characteristics of this type of tube, and because of the fact that the valve` stem is otfset from the plane of `the angular tube.

By employing a device provided with relatively movable parts formed with coneshaped converging tube supporting surfaces designed according to my invention, an inner tube is mounted upon the converging surfaces, and when the relatively movable parts are actuated away from each other the tube rolls slightly down the incline of the converging surfaces. yThis operation causes the valve stem which is disposed within an opening in one of the tube supports, to be centered properly, and at the same time the i'olliiigaction of the tube prevents wrinkling thereof.

Serial No. 144,275.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, of which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a tube deflating apparatus constructed ac cordng to my invention;

` Fig. 2 is a side elevational viewof the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, parts thereof being broken away for thc salie of clear-ness;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of an inner tube which has been cured upon a curved or circular mandrel and illustrat-r ing the position of the valve stem thereof.

F ig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale of a portion of the device embodying my invention and illustrating the position of an inner tube mounted thereon incident to its deflation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to and taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 4; and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a valve spacing portion of thedevice embodying my invention, the view being taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

In practicing my invention, I provide a frame construction 10 having a bracket 11 bolted thereto which supports an outwardly extending and downwardly sloping arm 12. A tube supporting member or holder, generally indicated by the numeral 13, constituting one of the main features of my invention, comprises an inverted U-shaped tube support 14, which is bolted to the arm 12 and which is provided with a conical or converging outer surface 15, the angle of convergence being about 12. Additional bracing bars 16 rigidly secured to the frame 10 and to the inverted U-shaped support 14 maintain the latter in a definite stationary position. y

A second U-shaped member 17, composed of sheet material and provided with a conical or converging surface 1S forming substantially a continuation of the surface 15, is disposed immediately below the inverted U-shaped member 14 and is vertically movable toward and away from the latter. The movable U-shaped member 17 is provided with laterally extending braces 19 rigidly secured thereto and rigidly secured to a fluid actuated cylinder 20 mounted upon a piston rod 22. This piston redis secured-at its upper end to the bracket Il and its lower end to a similarly'disposed bracket 28,'these brackets being rigidly secured to the 'frame l0. A piston'head 24 which is normally positioned centrallywithinthe cylinder 20 is `rigidlysecuied'to the rod 22. By admitting fluid under pressure through a conduit 25v at the lower portion ot the cylinder, the latter, together with the Llp-shaped member, is moved downwardly, the approximate lower positionojl the U-shaped member being; indicated by dotand, dash lines 26. Likewise, the cylinder 20, together with the U-shaped member 17, is moved upwardly by admitting fluid under pressure through a iiexible conduit 27 disposed at the upper portion of the cylinder 20. Additional flexible valve controlled conduits 28 and 29 are provided for the purpose of permitting fluid to escape trom the cylinder after the latter has been actuated in one or the other ofthe directions indicated.

Downward movement of the cylinder can belimited by employing alatch 30 slidablyy and rotatably mounted upon a rod 32 and provided with a laterally extending lug 33, which is adapted to b e vertically adjustable within notch-es 34 formed in a flange 35 of the frame. The rod 32 is secured at its ends Y by means oi brackets 36 and 37 bolted to the trame l0. For the sake of convenience, I have provided a handle 38 for the latch which facilitates vertical adjustmentthereof within the IlOtcl-ies.

The upper stationary U-shaped member 14 supports a two-way `valve mechanism 39 rigidly secured thereto by means ot a bracket 40. Two fluid conveyingl conduits 42 and 43 connected to the valve 39 communicate with vacuum `apparatus (not sho-wn) and with the atmosphere respectively, the valve being operated by means of a handle 44.

As best shown in Figs. Qand 4, a :relatively short flexible cond-uit hose 45 is connected to the valve mechanism 39 and is provided with a nozzle 46, adapted to fitA over and open the end of a valvey stem 47 which, is connected to an inner tube 48. The inner tube is mounted upon the support 13 and by operating the handle 44, the vacuum apparatus exhausts air from the tube.

In Fig. 3,`I have illustrated a portion of an inner tube 48 cured on a curved mand-rel'. In this type ot inner tube, the valve stem 47 is oiset fromtthe line defining. the shorter or inner circumference oi' the tube as shown. The-reason for so offsetting the valve stem is that i'nthis position it facilitates the tolding of the inner tube and the` packing there of in cartons. In order to properly position and hold the valve stem upon the support 14, an opening 49 shown in Figs.,4, 5 and 6, is provided therein, one side of whichv is irregular and forms a notch 50. An opening; ofthisr-shapej in the, sheet, material; of

Fig. 4, is inproper position for deii'ationy thereof. In looping theftube about the sup-- port,-it will be observed that a portion thel'ioi' will be slightly twisted in order to position the oiiset valve stein within the notch 50,. As soon as the nozzle 4G is connected to the valve stein 47 and the valve mechanism 39 is operated to exhaust air from thev inner tube, fluid under pressure is admitted. to the lower portion ot the cylinder through the conduit connection 25. The cylinder-20 will then be actuated downwardly thereby actuating the support 17 in the same direction and stretching the inner tube immediately beil'ore and during tliedeiiation thereof. T11@ conical or converging Wallsl and 1S of 'the tube support 13 cause the inner. tube to roll slightly while it is being de ated. Upon completion of the ,defiatingoperation the iu; ner tube assumes the position shown in dot and dash lines of Fig. 4, and in, this position, the valve stem is properly centered; This operation also prevents the inner tube from being` wrinkled and from being subjected to injurious distortion as Well as compensat-- ing. for the twisting;` ot the inner tube which occurs incidentally to the positioning of the valve stem within the opening'49... After the air, hasbeen exhausted` from the. inner tube, the cylinder 2,0` is actuatedr upwardly and the deflated tube removedi'roin the/sup#` ort. i From the foregoing description, it will` be apparent that aidevice embodying, my in-l vention greatly facilitates the "donation, of inner tubes andthat the simplicity. ot its construction, as well as its peculiar mode of operation, renders it particularly Welladapt ed for use inA deflating all inner tubes cured m molds or upon curved or circular man,- drels.

although I have illustrated: but one term which my invention may assume and described in detail `but a single'application thereof, it will be apparent to,l those skilled in thek art `that it is not so limited but, that various minor modicationsand changes may bemade thereinwithout departing tromthe spirit of the` invention or fromthe scope of the appended claims.y y' i A I/VhatI elaimis:`

An inner `tube deating. `device com:- prismgan expansible holder provided withv conical inner tube supporting surfaces 2. An inner tube delating device comprising an expansible holder including telescoping sections provided with converging W0rl supporting Walls and means to actuate the Sections.

3. An inner tube deflating device comprising a frame, a pair of telescoping U-shaped sect-ions carried by the frame and provided with converging peripheral surfaces and means to actuate the sections,

4. A device 'for (le-Hating an inner tube having a valve stem therein comprising an expansible holder provided with a conical surface adapted to support circumferentially the inner tube, said holder including integral means for positivelyengaging the valve stem to separate a portion ol the stem from the wall of the inner tube opposite the connection of the valve stem.

5. A device for deflating an inner tube having a valve stem therein comprising an upper section provided with converging peripheral surfaces and a lower section movable toward and away from the upper seotion, the upper section being provided with an opening for receiving the valve stem, the

material surrounding the opening being bent to term inwardly projecting edges adapted to engage the stein to space it from the wall ot' the inner tube opposite the valve stem connect-ion.

(S. A detiating device comprising a frame, an inverted U-shaped section provided with converging outer walls secured to the frame, a second U-shaped section, a fluid actuated cylinder' carried by the frame and secured to the second U-shaped section for moving the latter in alignment with the inverted U- shaped section and an adjustable member secured to the frame and adapted to engage the cylinder to limit the relative movement between the U-shaped sections.

7. An inner tube delating device comprising a iframe, a pair of telescoping U-sliaped sections carried by the frame and provided with peripheral surfaces converging at an angle of approximately 12 with respect to the plane of the surface and means associated with the sections to actuate them.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

SIDNEY R. HARRINGTON. 

